Luke indicated that some anonymous people in the crowd said (τινὲς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶπαν) that Jesus was casting out demons (ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια) by Beelzebul (Ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ), the ruler or the prince of the demons (τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων). Matthew, chapter 12:24, said that it was the Pharisees, not someone in the crowd, who heard that the people were calling Jesus the “Son of David,” a messianic name. They then accused Jesus of being in cahoots with Beelzebul, the leader of the demons. In other words, Jesus was casting out demons because he was working with the devil, the prince of the demons, Beelzebul. Mark, chapter 3:22, said that the Scribes came down from Jerusalem, and not the Pharisees, as in Matthew, or someone in the crowd as in Luke, that accused Jesus of working with Beelzebul. Thus, as the leader or ruler of the demons, he was casting out other demons. The implication was that Jesus was working with the devil, the very leader of the demons, Beelzebul, an ancient Canaanite god known as the “Lord of the flies.” However, Beelzebul had become another name for the devil or a major demon in early Christianity and late Judaism. What do you think the role of the devil is in your life?

This seems a little out of context since Matthew did not mention casting out a demon, but only curing the mute and blind demoniac. However, this is similar to Luke, chapter 11:15 and Mark, chapter 3:22, as well as the earlier passages from Matthew, chapters 9:34 and 10:24-25. Beelzebul was an ancient Canaanite god known as the “Lord of the flies,” but had become another name for the devil or demons in early Christianity and late Judaism. The Pharisees heard (οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἀκούσαντες) that the people were calling Jesus the “Son of David,” a messianic name. However, they accused Jesus of being in cahoots with Beelzebul (εἶπον Οὗτος…εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ Βεελζεβοὺλ), the leader of the demons (ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων). In other words, Jesus was casting out (οὐκ ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια) demons because he was working with the devil, the leader of the demons, the ancient Canaanite god, Beelzebul.